I need something to transport a deer and an elk from Montana back home to the UP of MI. Has anyone ever built a cooler out of, say plywood and foam insulation that fits in the bed of a pick up?

Do a search for UtahLefty's posts. He has one he made using those very same materials. Me, I'm lazy, I'd just by a couple of very big marine style coolers. I've heard very good things about Yeti coolers.

someone just posted some nice pics not long ago maybe the same guy mentioned above looked really sweet

I have heard of people using a chest freezer in the back of a pickup. Might work ok.

Could probably even fire it up using a power inverter if the truck can produce enough.

here's the link to wht mine looks like:

my cooler thread

If it works, figure a way to power it via an inverter or small genny. If it doesn't work, strip out the motor and compressor ect to save weight and fill any voids with expanding foam as required.

It works via inverter. It would be nice to have a pickup with a sliding/opening rear window. The cord running out the side window and into the back looks odd if there's a cap on.

George

In those circumstances, if I were using the set up at all regular, I'd probably look at hardwiring a cable into the back and installing a 12V weather proof socket or two in the back..Extra power sockets come in handy for work lights, air compressors, trailor winches ect even when not being used for the freezer..

When the truck I'm running finally becomes a wood/plow truck my next one will get something just like that .

Should I be scared that the Brit thinks like I do or vice versa?

George

Don't worry, I've been hanging around these forums so long, I'm starting to type with an American accent!

Just be careful to put the socket on the "American" side of the bed, not the British!

Sycamore

I done this once. We had the freezer in a trailer. When we stopped for the night we ran an extension chord out to it. It held all day easy enough.

It is a little easier, cheaper and more space efficient to built the cooler as needed. I use a piece of 2" foam board in the bottom of my truck and then put the game on a tarp, cover with another tarp, add ice and then put sleeping bags and other gear over the top to keep the whole mass insulated. Works pretty well without tying up your truck bed to a big bulky cooler all by itself.

Brent

Yea, my carpenter made two for me out of plywood and two inch styrofoam lining all sides. I'd say volume was about 200 qts, which was too big in retrospect (after they were built) 'cause when full they were not one-man capable. Even empty they were tough to handle.

But my church borrowed them every year for youth retreats to go out west. With ice things stayed cold for 3,4 days (with a spiget down near the bottom for draining). With dry ice, you could count on a week in warm temps. They took mant elk home in fine shape but I finally gave them to the church.

I find two 150 qt Igloo coolers pretty much do it for me now.

On my way home from AK a couple of times I took the ferry from SE AK to Prince Rupert Canada then drove down to WA. Both times I talked with guys that has chest freezers in the back of their truck and a small Gen. It works well for keeping fish frozen when you have to drive for a few days.

Two old freezers and a generator works well. We had 5 de-boned moose in these two. If you stop overnight, get a ground floor room at a motel, and run a cord.

I travel doing BBQ competitions and made a plywood "pig box" like you describe to transport whole hogs. Worked OK but finally got tired of repairing it and looked for a better idea. Found a used single lid aluminum truck tool box ($35), placed 3" foam insulation on all sides, added a drain from the marine store and then had it Rhino-lined. It's SUPER tough and with some home made ice blocks in the bottom will keep a pig cold for a week and it's lockable to boot. The Rhino lining is food grade plastic so no worries there. I've since made a smaller one and I promise it's every bit as tough as those $500 Yeti roto-molded coolers and a whole lot cheaper.